[Covering of parotid and cervical lymph nodes metastasis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head, about 18 cases].

AIM

To describe 18 cases of patients treated for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) of the head metastasing to cervical lymph nodes and parotid gland. To estimate their survival and the risk factors of metastases.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

18 cases of patients affected by CSCC of the head, metastatic to parotid and cervical lymph nodes were afterward analyzed. Two populations were differentiated: the patients already treated for their CSCC, with secondary appearance of metastases in the Population A, the patients by whom the metastase is concomitantly discovered to the CSCC in the Population B.

RESULTS

The treatment consisted of a parotidectomy and neck dissection, possibly associated with excision of the primary tumour. Adjuvant radiotherapy was systematic. Metastatic progression was on lungs most of the time (57%), in patients of the population B (80%), or of whom primitive CSCC was of bad forecast (group 2) (78%). The mortality was bound to the complications induced by distant metastases (63%), at 5 years it was superior in the population B (100%) than in the population A (77%).

CONCLUSION

CSCC of the head, metastatic to parotid and cervical lymph nodes have a severe prognosis for survival in spite of an optimal curative treatment applied to fragile old patients.